The present invention is related generally to slides for mounting drawers in cabinets or other furniture. More particularly, the present invention is related to drawer slides which mount on the sides of the drawer.
Drawers which are housed in cabinets, desks, or other pieces of furniture can be used to provide easy access and storage for innumerable items. Repetitive opening and closing of drawers, however, is difficult unless a drawer slide or similar device is used to facilitate movement of the drawer. Without such a drawer slide assembly, the tolerances between the drawer and the cabinet must be maintained at levels too precise for common manufacture.
Thus, drawer slide assemblies were created to facilitate the opening and closing of a drawer from a cabinet. Several types of drawer slide arrangements are known. One type uses two drawer slides, one mounted on each opposite side of the drawer. Brackets are mounted on each side of the drawer, and engage a track member or bracket which is mounted adjacent the drawer bracket to the cabinet. In other arrangements, a single drawer slide assembly is used. A bracket is centrally mounted to the bottom of the drawer, which engages a bracket or track member mounted to the cabinet frame.
Drawer slide assemblies can also be distinguished by the manner in which the drawer bracket interacts with the cabinet bracket. For example, the bracket mounted to the drawer may include a bearing surface thereon, which contacts and slides directly on a portion of the bracket mounted to the cabinet. Other known drawer slide assembly arrangements have used a wheel or roller which is mounted to one of the brackets, and rolls within a track or groove in the opposite bracket.
Several problems accompany the use of known drawer slide arrangements. For example, when a drawer is opened or closed, the user seldom pulls or pushes the drawer precisely straight out or in. Typically, the user will lift up or pull down on the drawer slightly, as well as open and close the drawer at an angle from the vertical. These various vertical and horizontal forces which are exerted by the user onto the drawer can cause the drawer slide assembly to bend or twist. This can ruin the precision of the tracking assembly. Thus, it is desired to have a drawer slide assembly which prevents and limits the effects of horizontal and vertical forces which may be applied to the drawer.
Another problem faced by known drawer assemblies concerns the interaction of the drawer bracket with the cabinet bracket. Because of manufacturing tolerances, certain surface irregularities are likely to occur in the rail or track members. If the area of contact between the wheel and rail is reduced, the effects of the surface irregularities are also reduced. Thus, a roller or wheel assembly was developed to avoid the effects of surface irregularities. However, known roller or wheel bearing assemblies also face problems due to surface irregularities. This is particularly so when the roller or wheel "bottoms-out" or "tops-out" in the groove or channel in which it rides. If the periphery of the wheel rides flush against the channel or groove, the wheel will contact every such surface irregularity in the channel. This produces a "bumpy ride", and the drawer will not easily open and close.
The problems of surface irregularities in wheel or roller bearing drawer slide assemblies are further accentuated over time. After prolonged use, the surface of the roller will wear. As the surface of the roller or wheel wears, its area of contact within the channel or groove may significantly increase. If the contact area between the roller and the channel decreases, the arrangement will become less stable.
A drawer slide assembly which limits and reduces the effects of vertical and horizontal forces applied to the drawer when the drawer is opened and closed would be welcomed in the industry. A drawer slide assembly which reduces the effects of surface irregularities in the drawer bracket and cabinet bracket components would offer many advantages over conventional assemblies. Also, a drawer slide assembly which maintains its stability and solid feel over time and after repetitive use would be well-received.
According to the present invention, a drawer slide includes a pair of track members attached to the cabinet frame and corresponding brackets attached to the side walls of the drawer. Each track member is a generally elongated body having a track roller axially mounted at one distal end. The track roller is specifically designed to be received within a groove formed in the bracket. The perimeter of the track roller has a cross-sectional configuration similar to that of a truncated cone. The track roller includes opposing slants, which transition to meet along a bottom surface, thus forming the perimeter of the wheel.
The track member is formed to include a channel extending longitudinally therein. The channel is substantially rectangular in shape, and includes one side wall, one top wall, and one bottom wall. Thus, the channel is substantially enclosed on three sides.
The bracket is also a generally elongated member and includes a bracket roller adjacent one distal end. The bracket roller is axially mounted to the bracket and allowed to rotate freely. The bracket roller has a cross-sectional configuration substantially rectangular in shape and is receivable within the channel on the track member. The cross-sectional dimensions of the bracket roller are slightly less than the dimensions of the channel, such that the wheel may roll therein, but is closely bordered by the top, bottom, and side walls of the channel.
The bracket member is also formed to include a longitudinally extending groove therein. The groove is substantially V-shaped and is dimensioned to receive the track roller therein. Once mounted, the track member and the bracket are positioned adjacent to one another such that the groove in the bracket is substantially above the track roller.
As the drawer is opened and shut, the track roller rolls along the groove in the bracket and the bracket roller rides in the channel in the track member. The slant surfaces of the track roller contact the side walls of the V-shaped groove such that the bottom surface of the track roller does not contact the groove. This provides an angled surface of contact. Vertical forces exerted on the drawer produce resultant vertical and horizontal components and horizontal forces exerted on the drawer produce vertical and horizontal resultant forces. Thus, the effects of vertical and horizontal forces are reduced.
By reducing the effects of vertical and horizontal forces between the door and the cabinet frame, the objects of the invention are achieved. The precision of the tracking assembly is maintained, because the horizontal and vertical forces supplied by the user are reduced. Furthermore, the problems surrounding surface irregularities caused by manufacturing tolerances are reduced, because the area of contact of the rollers within their respective tracks or grooves is reduced, and maintained at a more constant area. These features produce a drawer slide assembly which allows for easy insertion and removal of a drawer from a cabinet frame, and provides a solid "feel" over an extended period of usage.
Additional objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.